By Tyrone Sitting Eagle
Frankie Wright is 12 years old and a proud member of Siksika. His grandparents are Lucille Wright and Ted Ayoungman. Recently, Frankie discovered that he is a natural-born football player. Standing at an impressive 6’2”, he has already proven himself to be one of the best, earning the Best O-Lineman of the Year award—an honor given to players who demonstrate outstanding skill and dedication throughout the season. Frankie received this award in late November at the Strathmore Civic Centre. He is strongly supported by his family, especially his grandmother, Lucille (Lucy) Wright.
Frankie began playing football about two years ago after one of his cousins encouraged him to try out. Curious, he decided to see what the sport was like. After making the team, he quickly realized he wanted to continue. Over time, he became the left guard on offense and the nose guard on defense.
“I play both offense and nose guard, so I play both offense and defence,” said Frankie in an interview with Siksika Media.
Frankie’s coach, Daniel Bouchard—head coach of the Peewee Badgers football team, an instructor at SAIT, and part of the Badgers organization for the past two years—shared how rewarding it has been to watch Frankie grow. Daniel explained that when Frankie first joined, he was just learning the game, but now he has become an essential part of the team, bringing both personality and grit. He also expressed his deep appreciation and pride in coaching not only a strong team, but also Frankie.
“What Frankie does, is he adds so much personality into our whole organization… being the personality in the locker room,” added Daniel.
As both a left guard and nose guard, Frankie has proven to be a major asset. Known as one of the toughest players on the field, he often intimidates opposing players simply through his presence.
“I put him in the centre one time, on our defensive line, the front-line guys, for the first half of any game players wouldn’t even try anything,” said Daniel.
Frankie’s grandmother, Lucille Wright, continues to be one of his biggest supporters. She is extremely proud to see how far he has come since his very first year with the Badgers. She shared how loved and supported he is by his team and coaches, saying, “I really support my grandson, it’s because right from year one, when they first met him, they’ve just embraced and developed his skill level, to where now he is an asset to the team.”
The parents of the team also support him greatly, and this has contributed to his growth. “He is an amazing kid—we are so lucky to have him.”
Although Frankie is only 12 and in grade 7, he has already shown that taking a chance on something new can be incredibly rewarding. He has worked hard to reach his goals. In his interview, he expressed gratitude for the people who support him, saying, “I like to thank my Friends, grandma, and coaches.” In doing so, Frankie has brought inspiration to Siksika and is already becoming a role model within the community.
